Gambrel



Nov. 18, 1930. K. WICHTENDAHL GAMBREL Filed Dec. 12. 1929 Z W lNV TORATTORN EYS Patented Ne 18, 1930 GAMBREL Application filed December 12,1929. Serial No. 413,553.

This invention relates to gambrels and,

durable device which will enable one man' 5 to handle a carcass. e

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in thespecification when considered in .connection with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

10 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred tending outwardly at anangle to the vertical,

embodiment of the invention; While their bills extend inwardly,terminat- Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing in pointed,outwardlybent ends 14. The ing the parts in another position; andconstruction of the hooks is such that a car- Fig. 3'is a sectional-viewtaken on theline' cass cannot SllP ofi even though all of the.

1 33 of Fig. 2. I weight might be carried by only one .ofthem'. f

Heretofore, various and more or less complex as well as expensivegambrels have been devised, but all of those devices of which I am awareare subject to some practical disad- Some of them are inherently trivedto overcome the foregoing objections and is. so designed that it hasmaximum strength and durability. Also, one ofthe important aims is toprovide a device whlch will enable one man to handle a whole or even aquartered carcass with perfect safety and without any possibility ofhaving an unbalanced carcass slip ofi the hooks.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the

illustrative device is there shown as includ 'ing a pair ofsubstantially identical L-shaped arms 10 conveniently forged out ofround bars of steel and having flattened portions 11 at the elbows orbends where the arms are I preferably so made they will bind against 0each other when the arms are opened as wide as is desired, thusavoiding'any danger of pinching orcutting ones hands or fingers betweenthem. T Y 7 The lengths of the'leg engaging arms as well as the size ofthe stockiused may-be selected to suit the kinds of'carcasses to behandled. In all cases, however, the leg-en gaging ends are reduced andbent to. form deep hooks 13 having their bight portions ex The ends ofthe arms above'the pivot are shown as having eyes 15 to which areconnected the endlinks of a chain 16 of such length as to permit hooksto. close as far as is desired without collapsing. The chain has a ring17 midway between 1ts ends to recelve the hook of a suitable hoistingdevice such as a block'and tackle not shown.

Now it will be seen that the hooked ends are adapted to be engaged inthe legs or ligaments of a carcass and initially hold the legs spreadapart to some extent. lVhen the carcass is raised, the chain will pullthe upper parts of the arms toward each other and automatically spreadthe hooked endsand the legs of the r carcass. The parts will assumeapproXimate-' ly the positions shown in Fig. 2. v If a greater portionof the weightis carried by one of the hooks, that hook will tend toswing down toward a vertical line passing through the ring; but thecarcass cannot slip off.

From theforegoing description, it will be seen that the device can bemanufactured very cheaply of a'minimum number of parts; that it has verygreat strength and requires no special links; that there areno partswhich are likely to be broken; and that it can be safely used by onemanto suspend very heavy carcasses.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particularembodiment thereof herein shown and described. 1 i

What is claimed is:

A gambrel comprisinga pair of substantial ly L-shaped arms forged out ofround metal bars pivoted together at their elbows and having flattenedportions adjacent to the pivot to permit limited opening movement; hookshaving outwardly extending deep bight portions formed on the lower endsof said arms; eyes on the upper ends of the arms; a chain connected tothe eyes limiting the closing movement of'hooked arms; and ahook-receiving ring in said chain whereby it may be suspended and theWeight of the carcass Will automatically open the hooked arms.

In testimon that I claim the fore 'oin -as i i V. 7 my own, I havehereto affixed my slgnature.

KARL WICHTE NDAI-IL.

